A Decked Out Dump Trailer

With the right setup, a dump trailer can haul almost anything that needs to come or go on the job.

Kurt Stevenson is a general contractor in Lafayette, California—and like most contractors he spends a lot of time moving material. It could be anything: debris that needs to be hauled away; dirt or gravel that has to be brought to a job, or tools and equipment that are being sent to another project. Several years back he bought an off-the-shelf dump trailer. He liked it, and a few years later decided to get a larger one that better suited his needs. After much online research he settled on a brand that could be customized at the factory to his specification. Stevenson has had the new trailer for a couple of years and says of it, “I use it every day—just constantly. I’ve thought about getting a second one but I don’t have anywhere to keep it.”

According to Stevenson, the trailer cost around $10,000 plus a delivery fee. The first time he used it to haul gravel he accidentally put in twice the rated load and the hydraulics were still able to dump it. The trailer saves Stevenson a ton of money by allowing him to haul debris himself, and avoid paying for dumpsters. And it’s more convenient too; it can be emptied when he wants it emptied, relocated at will, and used to bring material onto the jobsite.

It was fun talking to Kurt about his trailer. His enthusiasm was infectious and by the time we were done I wanted to run out and buy a dump trailer—even though I don’t need one. Watch the video and you’ll see why.